The Cursed Ring
by Writrgrl
Summary: On a mission to retrieve a cursed ring, Naruto is turned into a fox. Now, Naruto must seek out Orochimaru to be changed back- and Orochimaru is the cause of Naruto's transformation! Rated T for mild language use.
1. the mission

"Naruto!" Tsunade snapped.  
"Yeah?" the blonde genin replied, looking bored.  
"Pay attention when I'm assigning you a mission!"  
"But, Granny Tsunade, they're all so boring!" Naruto whined, turning his back to the hokage and sulking.  
"Fine," the woman said, "if you're going to be whiney I guess I'll give this C-rank mission to Sakura instead."  
Naruto snatched the scroll from her hand and opened it eagerly.  
"Steal a cursed ring from a band of rogue ninja and return it to its rightful owner," he read aloud, "and...your handwriting is really hard to read...'Do not listen to the ring?' What the heck is that supposed to mean??" This last was meant for Tsunade.  
"It means exactly what it says: 'Do not listen to the ring.' Some kind of warning from the owner." Tsunade scoffed. "Do you accept?"  
"More exciting than catching that stupid cat," Naruto muttered.  
"So, yes?"  
"Yeah, and I'll get it done quick so I can come back and get another mission!" Naruto was already headed out the door.  
"Aspirin, Lady Tsunade?" Shizune queried, knowing the effect Naruto had on people.  
"Three of them at least," Tsunade groaned, making Shizune smile.

AT THE CAMP OF THE ROGUE NINJA

_Okay_, Naruto thought, counting in his head, _five sentries around the perimeter in trees. six or seven ninja sleeping around the campfire. and three ninja guarding the tent on the other side of the camp. so sixteen in all including the leader in the tent. Piece of cake.  
_Forming hand seals, Naruto made six shadow clones: one for each of the perimeter sentries and one for the three sentries at the tent. He sent the five meant for the perimeter sentries to them and, once they were distracted, slipped around the camp's edge to the back of the tent. The remaining clone distracted the last three with his sexy jutsu while he ducked into the tent, stepping over the sleeping form of the leader as he did so.  
A large chest stood in the center of the tent, presumably containing the ring he was after.  
Using a 'borrowed' hairpin from Tsunade, Naruto picked the large padlock and slowly opened the lid to avoid any creaking. Inside was a small box, just the right size to hold a large gold ring; Naruto grinned as he slipped the ring box into the pouch at his back that contained his kunai, scrolls and exploding tags.  
He hooked a kunai with his thumb as he drew it out and used it to cut through the fabric of the tent before escaping to the forest outside.  
Jumping into a tree, he dismissed his clones, then headed off to the village as fast as he could. The ease with which he had raided the ninja camp had unsettled him.


	2. transformation

After hours of running with no sound of persuit, Naruto paused on a branch to catch his breath, then dropped lightly to the ground.

"Psst." The noise came from behind him and he whirled around, kunai clenched tightly in his fist. Seeing noone, he relaxed but jumped when the noise came again, "Psst."

"Who's there?" the blonde demanded. Strangely, the noise had seemed to emanate from the pouch the ring was in.

"You idiot. You haven't figured it out yet?"

_What an annoying voice_, Naruto decided.

"Wait," Naruto recalled the details of his mission. "You're the cursed ring!"

"Bingo! Finally the kid gets it. You should know that I'm not cursed. The owner made that up. I'm just a sealed spirit now."

_I can understand this spirit_, Kyuubi commented. Naruto could tell the fox spirit was grinning.

"Quiet, you," he ordered the seal on his stomach. Then, twisting his head so he could see the pouch, he growled "And you shut up, too. My mission scroll said not to listen to you."

"You offend me, brat. I can turn you into anything I wish, should I choose to do so. And seeing as you carry the nine-tails, I shall turn you into a fox." the ring sounded angry and Naruto drew the box from his pouch.

"Yeah, right," he sneered, opening the box.

With a flash of white light, Naruto began to shrink, his clothes falling in folds around him. The First Hokage's necklace luckily stayed around his neck.

Naruto gave a cry of alarm that turned into a yelp as red fur sprouted all along his body, like a speeded up film of grass growing. His ears were drawn up to the top of his head as they grew and changed shape. Finally, with the strange sensation of bones lengthening, a long bushy tail sprouted.

_What did you do to me?! _He thought angrily at the box. When the ring was silent, Naruto shut the lid with his paw then grabbed it with his teeth and padded off toward Konoha.

_Have you noticed your heightened senses? _Kyuubi inquired. _Your sense of smell, taste, and hearing are all much better now._

_Yeah, but it sucks not being able to see in color. And I don't have any thumbs! How am I supposed to eat ramen now? _Naruto whined.

_Slurp it right from the bowl? _Kyuubi suggested.

_Haha, funny, _the fox genin snapped. _Hey! Change me back! _He ordered the ring in his mouth.

"Change yourself back, I don't know how." The piece of jewelry retorted.

Naruto promptly dropped the box into the dirt.

_What do you mean, you 'don't know how'? _he growled.


	3. revelation

"I was performing a jutsu and couldn't return to my physical body so I took residence in this ring. As it so happens, whoever wears this ring gains the ability to change their surroundings but there's a catch: you can't change it back and it remains as is... permanently."

_Great. Hey will I still age?_ A thought had just occurred to Naruto.

"Yes, and your lifespan will be shorter than it would be as a human but longer than the average fox." This relieved Naruto, and he picked up the box in his mouth again.

_Granny Tsunade would be able to help_, the fox boy mused, _but how could I communicate with her?_

"Tsunade? As in the sannin?" the ring asked.

_Yes, why?_

"This isn't a medical ninjutsu, kid. The only one who might be able to help you is Orochimaru."

Naruto promptly dropped the box on the ground yet again.

_Why would he be able to help me?_ he growled.

"Well, he did teach me the jutsu that took my spirit from my body..."

_You were one of his experiments?_

"Yeah, I was a shinobi from Sunagakure before he captured me while I was on a mission."

_Dun dun dun_, Kyuubi grinned.

_What was your name?_ Naruto asked, ignoring the fox spirit.

"Naoki," came the reply.

_Naoki, do you know where to find Orochimaru?_ Naruto was being as patient as possible, but it wasn't helping that Kyuubi was saying _'Sasuke's with him' _in a sing-song voice to try and force Naruto to get angry enough that he could take over.

"I've been in this ring for several years, and Orochimaru changes lairs every week or so..." the ex-sand nin replied.

_Damn!_ Naruto cursed, trying to think of his next move.

_Don't you still have Sasuke's hitai-ate?_ Kyuubi asked, pondering with him.

_Yeah, so?_

_'So' you can use your new, highly magnified sense of smell to search him out!_ the fox spirit was losing patience with his host.

_Then we're going to Konoha_, Naruto announced, cheered by the thought of finding Sasuke.


	4. the means to sasuke

_**Back at the village gates**_

"How do we sneak in?" Naoki whispered.

_We need some kind of distraction,_ Naruto informed the other two.

_We kind of figured that much out ourselves,_ Kyuubi sighed. _Hide!_

Naruto dived into a nearby bush then peeked out to see what had alarmed the fox spirit.

_What? It's just Kiba and Aka- hey! Dogs chase foxes, right?_

"Yeah!" Naoki said, catching Naruto's drift. "We get that ninja dog to chase us into the village, get the hitai-ate then leave!"

_Naoki, I'm going to have to leave you here for now,_ the jinchuriki informed the ex-sand nin. _It would look suspicious for a fox to be carrying a box, and I can't leave you with Tsunade beause you probably know your way around Orochimaru's lairs._

"You do have a point. Put me in a pile of leaves and mark the spot."

_Mark- Oh..._

_It's not that hard, kid, just go,_ Kyuubi said.

_But-_

_No 'buts,' just do it. You went in the Forest of Death during the Chunin exams, so what's the problem?_ Kyuubi was beginning to get irritated. _Wait any longer and Akamaru will be through the gates._

_Fine,_ Naruto grumbled, and did as he was told.

"I'm so glad I'm in a box or that would have been disgusting," Naoki commented.

_Shut up,_ Naruto snapped as he dashed out in front of Akamaru and Kiba, thereby making the white and brown puppy give chase.

Zigzagginig back and forth so that it seemed he was desperate, Naruto tore into Konoha, Akamaru hot on his heels with Kiba close behind.

"Akamaru! No!"

_Sorry Kiba,_ Naruto mentally apologized.

Naruto turned right sharply and zoomed down a street he knew well. He passed the movie theater and nearly bowled Sakura over in his haste. She merely gaped in wonderment as Kiba and Akamaru zoomed past her as well, before Kiba pounced and managed to catch hold of his errant dog.

Panting, Naruto ran up the steps to his apartment and jumped through a window he'd left open for a breeze.

_I think we lost the dog,_ Kyuubi stated, sounding disappointed.

_So?_ Naruto retorted, jumping on his bed and sliding under his quilt to search out Sasuke's hitai-ate. Finding it, he crawled out and landed lightly on the floor.

_I still can't believe you sleep with that,_ Kyuubi informed the boy.

_Shut up._


	5. Getting to Suna

_This chapter may be reworked later because I don't like some of the dialogue and I am going to try to update every week if possible. School may be a small obstacle so I will probably update on Saturdays or Sundays. If you've read this far then you must like the story so I apologize for any shortcomings or delays._

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Getting out of the village was less exciting than the chase going in, and Naruto distinctly heard one of the two nins monitoring the gate say to the other, "There goes that fox from earlier," as he ran past.

Naruto slipped through the trees until he reached the location he'd hidden Naoki's box.

"You got the forehead protector then?" Naoki asked, once Naruto had dug him out.

_You bet_, Naruto said, letting the forehead fall from his mouth.

"Alright, now, your sense of smell may not be as good as a ninja dog's, but it's still pretty keen. You should be able to find Sasuke," Naoki told them.

_Already ahead of you_, Naruto breathed in Sasuke's scent deeply and memorized it. _So that's what Sasuke smelled like,_ he said in a low voice. _Anger and vengeance._

_Pitiful,_ Kyuubi sneered.

_I wonder what I smelled like?_ Naruto wondered briefly.

_Ramen_, Kyuubi shuddered. _Lots of ramen._

_Really?_ Naruto yipped in surprise and glee that he had caused the fox spirit some discomfort.

"Okay, enough talking about scents, lets get going. I thought you wanted to get changed back?" Naoki growled.

_Right. Sorry._ If it had been possible for foxes to look sheepish, Naruto would have pulled it off.

Naruto scooped up both box and forehead protector in his mouth and set off, nose sniffing the air for the slightest trace of his old comrade's scent.

_**6 days later, near Sunagakure**_

"There's a hideout near here," Naoki said suddenly.

_It's too hot to move right now,_ Naruto gasped. _This desert is killing me with this fur even in the shade!_

the one lone cactus they had managed to find hardly provided enough shade to cover even as small a fox as naruto and it was nearly high noon, so the shadow was even smaller.

"I thought foxes could live in the desert?" Naoki said, clearly not happy.

_Those foxes are specially adapted, _Kyuubi informed him,_ their ears are larger to keep their bodies cool. Naruto has been changed into a red fox, which is not a desert dweller._

"Oh..."

_You really shoved your imaginary foot in your mouth, didn't you?_ Naruto smirked.

"It was an honest mistake," Naoki said sulkily.

_Whatever. Point is, I'm not moving until nightfall when it will be cooler._

_It would be impossible to find a scent in the desert anyway. The winds shift the sands nearly continuously which spreads and thins it,_ Kyuubi said matter of factly.

_Maybe Gaara could help? He does seem to be able to control sand to a certain extent,_ Naruto mused.

_The ichibi's host we fought not so long ago? It's possible._

"Whoa, back up. We're going to enlist the aid of a monster?!"

_He's only that way because of your village!_ Naruto snapped. _The way you had him cut off from everybody made him that way! _His anger with Naoki was allowing Kyuubi's chakra to eke through the seal and encase his body.

_You do recall that I am the ninetails, right? And when this boy gets angry enough, I am the one in control._ Kyuubi said calmly, with the air of someone commenting on the weather.

"Sorry, I didn't-"

_Realize? Of course not. How could you know how it feels? It's jerks like you who make us this way. Blame yourselves, not us._ Naruto snapped, but despite his obvious irritation, he was calming down and regaining control. Kyuubi's chakra began to fade.

The fox spirit scowled, he had clearly been wanting to show the insolent sand nin his true power.

"How will Gaara know it's you?" Naoki asked quietly, sobered by both Naruto's and Kyuubi's words.

_Kyuubi will show his chakra. Gaara's seen it before, so he should recognize it. Then you, Naoki, will explain what's happened._

_He really isn't a stupid kid, you know._ Kyuubi commented, impressed by his container's plan. _But his temper gets ahead of him and he makes mistakes._

_That was awfully nice for a demon spirit,_ Naruto said slyly. _Getting soft from human contact?_

_Hardly. I was merely stating a fact._ Kyuubi huffed.

_Why did you attack Konoha if you're such a softie?_ Naruto teased, goading the fox spirit.

_That damn Uchiha, Madara, that's why!_ Kyuubi snapped.

_What? One of Sasuke's relatives made you attack the village?_ Naruto said, stunned.

"It seems betraying Konoha runs in the Uchiha clan," Naoki commented dryly.

_Only the sharingan can control me and he used it to his advantage,_ Kyuubi scowled. _I mean, he was bitter after fighting the first hokage for the hokage position and losing. Everyone thought he was dead. So then that bastard decided to sic me on the village as revenge and I ended up in the yellow flash's brat._

_Who was the yellow flash?_ Naruto inquired, puzzled by this strange turn in the conversation.

_I believe you know him best as the fourth hokage, which might be one reason you mastered Rasengan so quickly, and can wear the first hokage's necklace and not yet have died._ Kyuubi stated.

_Wha- Wha- How do you know this?!_ Naruto demanded.

"During the last ninja war, troops were ordered to retreat if they saw a yellow flash. He performed a jutsu that allowed him to move at superhuman speeds- or so it seemed. His yellow hair and that jutsu earned him that nickname." Naoki explained. " It's not surprising that the tailed beasts have heard of him. Even then, jinchuriki were being used as weapons of war."

_But how did you know I was the fourth hokage's son?_

_Well, you can't remember memories from that day of your birth but he told you right before he used you as my prison that he hoped you would be viewed as a hero for containing me and protecting the village. As you know, the villagers didn't see it quite that way,_ Kyuubi sighed, _that is so like you humans to detest someone completely innocent of any crimes._

"I'm sorry, Naruto," Naoki said.

_It's fine. What we need to worry about is how to get into Suna. We can prove the people of Konoha wrong when I'm human again. _Naruto scratched his ear, deep in thought._ We can probably sneak in when they change sentries at the entrance. Is that possible, Naoki? This is your village._

"It will probably work, the village isn't on high alert for threats so there shouldn't be more than two or three and tonight is supposed to be a new moon."

_That's good to know and complicated plans tend to fail._ Kyuubi stated. _It's good to know that there are humans who won't overcomplicate things._

_You generalize too much._ Naruto scowled. _Anyway, if I'm going to be up half the night I might as well get in as much sleep as possible._ Naruto was already yawning as he curled up around Naoki's box and his friend's forehead protector.

"This kid can sleep anywhere," Naoki said in amazement.

_You have no idea, _the fox spirit informed him.


	6. Gaara Found

Several hours later, the sun was setting and Naruto was slinking stealthily towards the fissure in the cliffs that led to Sunagakure.

The sentry nin were trading off, and the fresh nin were looking alertly at the ever-shifting sands of the surrounding desert. Naruto's coloring as a fox better enabled him to blend in than the orange jumpsuit would have, but, even so, he waited until he had passed the sentries before he dared even breathe.

_Success!_ Naruto crowed, showing the two sealed spirits that his hopes were high.

_Now for the next problem,_ Kyuubi groaned, examining the cityscape below.

_What problem?_ Naruto cocked his head and stared as well, not seeing what could possibly pose a problem at this point.

_We don't know where Gaara lives, dolt._

_Aw, man!_ Naruto groaned.

"He can't sleep, right? And if I can't sleep I hate being cooped up alone in my room. Besides that, almost noone will be up to provide any sort of company- not that anyone would once they knew his true nature. So he probably isn't at home. We need to find a solitary place with a good view." Naoki's logic was sound and both Naruto and Kyuubi could see the truth in his words.

That's a good theory, but do you know of any such place in Suna? Kyuubi inquired. Apparently Naoki had also had his share of loneliness and sleepless nights.

"Just one I think he'd visit," Naoki said confidently, and Naruto and Kyuubi could hear the smile in his voice even though their companion lacked both a face and a physical body.

Gaara was resting on the roof of kazekage tower, the globe-shaped building located near the center of his home. His fight with Naruto during the ill-fated chunin exams had changed him, to say the least. He'd startled both his siblings when, less than a day after returning home, he'd announced his plans to become kazekage.

He smiled, recalling their expressions, when something, far below him in the streets, moved.

_Not many things move after dark,_ he thought, performing the jutsu that would whisk him away to whatever had moved.

he reappeared in a whirl of sand and stared levelly at the red fox that was returning his attention.

strange, he thought, then noticed the necklace around its neck and the familiar red chakra seeping from the animal.

"Naruto?" he gasped.

The fox nodded and Gaara rubbed his eyes. _No way, that fox did not just-_

"Lord Gaara, it is I, Naoki."

_Naoki?_ Memories from several years ago shifted and fell into place. _Naoki, the nin I was sent to search for after he disappeared on an intelligence gathering mission in the land of stone._

"Naoki," Gaara said slowly, "why did you disappear?" the fox-naruto- had just lain a ring box on the ground.

"Orochimaru captured me while on a mission," Naoki's voice emanated from the box, sounding slightly muffled. "My spirit is trapped in this ring and I-er-" he seemed reluctant to continue.

Ichibi decided to fill in the blank.

_He turned dear Naruto into a fox. Rather fitting for the kyuubi, eh, Gaara?_

_If you weren't sealed inside my body, you would be dead,_ Gaara growled, the sand surrounding them shifted restlessly.

"Did you turn Naruto into a fox, Naoki?" Gaara asked, keeping his voice level.

"Yes." the nin replied. Gaara could tell the guilt he was feeling was immense and forgave him-mostly.

"Then- I suppose you need my help?" Gaara kneeled and scooped up the box containing his ex-comrade's spirit.

"What?" Naoki had never before heard the one-tailed jinchuriki offer help to anyone.

"I will help you restore Naruto to his former state," Gaara scooped up fox-Naruto as well.

Naruto yipped happily and Gaara found himself grinning as he carried them home.

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_**A/N-- I know: it's another short short chapter folks, but don't worry, I'm already nearly done with the next one. See you then!**_


	7. Preparations

Gaara had moved close to the outskirts of Suna some time before to avoid his family and the residents of the village. Their attitudes toward him hadn't changed much, but as he was one of the kazekage's children, they had to accept him and did­-grudgingly usually. They knew better than to anger or provoke him, which meant the merchants in the market gave him the best of their wares quickly so that he would leave.

Still, he wished they woudn't treat him so. It had been his father who'd wanted Ichibi sealed inside him- he'd had no choice in the matter.

His sand molded itself into a key and fit itself within the extremely complicated lock he'd had made for his front door. Only Gaara could enter because only his sand could open the lock.

Naruto hopped out of his arms and landed lightly on his clean floor. If anything, Gaara liked to keep his home neat even though his home only contained three rooms: his bathroom, the kitchen/dining/living room they were in now was empty but for a table and a couple of chairs plus a stove and boxes of food stacked neatly along the far wall. The last room was his library/training room where he kept his scrolls and practiced his jutsu. He had no need for a bed so there was none in the final room of his home.

Gaara set Naoki down on the table in front of him, set his gourd on the floor and seated himself. Naruto hopped lightly into his lap and sat still, trying not to wriggle because it would cause discomfort to Gaara's-well, at least Naruto remembered.

"Now then, Naoki, what exactly do I need to do?" Gaara folded his hands and set them down on the wooden surface of the table.

"Naruto is under the impression that your control of sand may be put to use stilling the desert sand so he can sniff out Sasuke's scent." Naoki explained.

"I've never tried to control quite that much sand before," Gaara said, mulling the thought over. "It might be possible, if I can slowly seep it in my chakra over the next week or so. Then I might be able to halt it enough. The winds here in the land of wind can become very violent, so it's no guarantee."

Naruto's head poked up and he gave Gaara's chin a playful lick.

"Naruto wishes it could be faster, but if that's your best he says he'll take it," Naoki translated.

_**5 am the next day, half a mile from Suna**_

Naruto yawned sleepily from Gaara's shoulder. Normally he would have woken at about 8 or 9, not at this ungodly hour, especially not since hed screwed up his internal clock by sleeping most of the day yesterday.

Naoki was now on Gaara's thumb, the heavy gold band that contained his soul was too large for any of Gaara's slim fingers.

Gaara hunkered down on a large flat-topped boulder and settled down into the lotus position _**(1)**_. Closing his eyes, he focused on drawing his chakra out from his center and sending it to the sand below. He had a fair amount of chakra, but compared to Naruto's, his was a candle next to Naruto's bonfire.

Nearly an hour later, he had drained his chakra and opened his eyes slowly to adjust them to the sun. He had left himself enough chakra to make it home where he could eat and replenish his chakra once again.

This process was repeated twice more before the day was through, and even Naruto, in the end, had had to supply Gaara with some of his own chakra.

It had been a promising day on the whole and Naruto slept soundly in Gaara's lap on kazekage tower that night.

_**5 am the next day**_

Naruto woke and stretched. The sky was still a chilly gray, telling him the sun hadn't risen quite yet.

He gazed at Gaara's face questioningly and Gaara smiled, knowing Naruto well enough by now to know he wanted breakfast.

This day went much the same as the first but for the fact that Gaara had to go a little further each time to cover new sand, and it went this way for the next six days after.

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_**(1)**_ this is a yoga position that is often used for meditation

Man, I write really shory chapters, but for this particular story I can't seem to write longer chaps


	8. The Offer

By now in Konoha, everyone knew Naruto was missing.

General consensus among those who hated him was that he'd run off with the ring and been captured then killed by the rogue nin.

Tsunade had sent Guy, Asuma, Kurenai, and Shikamaru to search for him as Kakashi was on a mission in the land of lightning following a tip that Sasuke had been sighted there.

"Lady Tsunade?" there was a light rap on the door.

"Come in," the godaime hokage sighed, her face etched with worry.

"Shikamaru has just returned. They found Naruto's clothes and ninja tools but no body and not your grandfather's necklace." Shizune quietly crossed the room to stand by her mentor.

"This doesn't feel right. Who would strip him bare and leave the clothes but take the body?" Tsunade asked. She was barely restraining herself from smashing her desk to pieces. Naruto was as good as her little brother, if he was missing it was like losing Nawaki again.

"It may have been one of Orochimaru's henchmen gathering test subjects. Naruto's case certainly is unique. No doubt Orochimaru would love to get his hands on him." Shizune speculated.

"That's too messy, even for Orochimaru. He wouldn't leave any traces because he doesn't want to be found." Tsunade shot the speculation down."No. Something's happened to Naruto and I intend to find out what."

Gaara, Naruto, and Naoki were once again in the desert. Using Naoki's memories and Naruto's sense of smell, they had struck gold: Naruto had discovered Sasuke's scent only an hour before. Gaara had further quickened the search by keeping the sands stilled so that Naruto was not constantly losing the scent.

Out of nowhere, kunai launched themselves at both jinchuriki.

"Damn!" Gaara yelled and sand rushed upward around him and Naruto both.

"Did you honestly believe we hadn't noticed you soaking the sand with chakra?" Kabuto asked, appearing right next to Naruto.

Naruto growled and snapped at Kabuto's ankle, earning him a swift kick that sent him flying to land at Gaara's feet.

"Bastard." Gaara growled, kneeling to scoop up Naruto gently.

"Why _are_ you here anyway? Sasuke?" Kabuto asked. "Hadn't you learned from your fight with him, Naruto? How could you possibly expect to bring him back as a fox?"

Naruto snarled and attempted to wriggle free of Gaara's grasp.

"We didn't come for Sasuke." Gaara informed the medic nin coolly. "we have a favor to ask of orochimaru."

"Well. That's certainly a surprise. What kind of favor?" Kabuto straightened his glasses as if bored.

"We want Orochimaru to turn Naruto back into a human. I also believe you will recall my comrade, Naoki?" Gaara displayed the thumb Naoki's ring was occupying.

"Aahh~ so that's it. I'm sure we could make a deal." Kabuto pulled two strips of cloth from the pouch at his hip. "Of course, you'll understand if I blindfold you?"

Both jinchuriki nodded.

Once blindfolded, they were led to the lair. Gaara could tell the instant they arrived because he could no longer feel the shift of sand beneath his feet.

They walked for what felt like ten minutes before Kabuto removed the blindfolds. They were standing in a large room lit only by 6 torches: one per pillar supporting the ceiling which extended so far into the blackness above it could not be seen.

"Well if it isn't Gaara." a voice came suddenly from the shadows to Gaara's left.

"Now, now, Sasuke, they're guests." Orochimaru's chilly drawl replied.

"They? It's Gaara and a fox."

"Ah, but that fox is dear Naruto, and the ring is my old test subject Naoki."

Naruto stiffened as a tall sinister figure emerged into the glow of a torch.

"Hello, Orochimaru." Gaara said, the picture of serenity in this hurricane of emotions.

"Naoki, shame on you for doing such a thing to poor Naruto," Orochimaru said, feigning shock at Naruto's new form.

"Shut up you snakey bastard," Naoki growled.

"My, such harsh language from a guest to his host." Orochimaru said airily.

"Shush, Naoki." Gaara berated the nin.

"We want you to turn Naruto back into a human and to release Naoki's soul and give him his body back." Gaara told the snake-sannin.

"You should know I don't do things without a price," Orochimaru smirked.

"I will give you myself in exchange," Gaara said, and Naruto whined in his arms.

"What say you, Kabuto?" Orochimaru asked his student.

"It is an interesting offer indeed. We have not yet had the pleasure of experimenting on a jinchuriki." Kabuto sneered.

"Then, Lord Gaara, you have a deal."


	9. Not going anywhere

_Sorry it's been so long. School just started up again last week and I have had the worst case of writer's block I've had in a long time._

_**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Naruto. If I did, Sasuke would drop dead.**_

_flames will be used to heat my house_

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Guy, Asuma, and Kurenai had only just heard Gaara was missing as well after a visit to Suna and were combing the desert for any signs of either of the jinchuriki. Kurenai's brow creased and Asuma voiced a query.

"This place reeks of Gaara's chakra. And over there, it's even stronger, as if he was startled while pouring his chakra into the sand." Kurenai pointed north just as wire whirled around herself and the two men and bound them tightly together. Too late, the three jonin noticed the round ball eking out a poisonous gas that knocked them unconcious within moments.

"Honestly, three leaf shinobi taken so easily. What on earth is Tsunade thinking?"

_Naruto's POV_

Orochimaru had been performing jutsu after jutsu on me to see which ones had effects. So now I was a fox the size of a twelve year old boy with no tail. _Verrry attractive. Not._

He performed a long series of hand signs then smacked my forehead with the palm of his hand.

_What on earth was that supposed to do?_

For a moment, nothing happened.

Then, suddenly, my skin began to itch and prickle and my fur abruptly fell off. My nose shrank, sucked in as if by a straw, and my ears migrated south to their proper places on the sides of my head. My own blonde hair exploded from my scalp and by eyes changed from brown flecked with gold to their proper shade of blue.

Finally, I was myself. The only thing that was wrong was the fact that there wasn't a stitch of clothing on my body, save the first hokage's necklace.

Luckily, Gaara had been watching the whole agonizing process and tossed a blanket over me.

"Thanks, Gaara." I shivered in the cool air of the lair.

" Don't mention it." His voice was as monotone as ever, but I could tell he had missed my true form. Bitterly, I wished I had never pulled himself into this mess and had offered myself.

"Naoki is a simple manner." Orochimaru smirked. "We have a body suitable for his use as his original body has been... disposed of."

I resisted the urge to punch his smug face and confined myself to a low growl. Upon hearing it, his grin widened.

Orochimaru held out his hand for Naoki's ring and Gaara handed it to him. As his long fingers closed around it, two sound nin came through the door, bearing a body.

I looked away- the boy was near my age with silver hair and was fairly well built. No scars or wounds marred his naked body and I briefly wondered how he had died. His bright green eyes were wide and staring and, even in death, his gaze seemed to accuse me of doing this to him. It unnerved me.

Even Gaara could not suppress the growl emanating from his throat.

"Now, now," Orochimaru sneered at the both of us, bouncing Naoki's ring up and down in his palm."Naoki wanted a body. He's going to get one. Don't blame me if he's getting what he wished for in a way you don't like."

_Bastard. If it wasn't for the fact that you restored my body and are helping Naoki, I would kill you here and now._ I suppressed my anger to prevent Kyuubi escaping.

Kabuto chose that moment to return to the room. Only ten or so minutes ago, he had excused himself to deal with a small problem.

"Orochimaru-sama, we have apprehended three leaf jonin. I believe it is safe to assume they were searching for Naruto." Kabuto leered unpleasantly at me and I pulled the blanket closer to my body as Gaara subtly stepped between us, arms crossed. "They could provide us with a few more test subjects."

"No!!" I yelled, pushing Gaara aside as gently I could without offending him.

"None of them are Kakashi. I don't see why you're so concerned." Kabuto gave me a look that said clearly that he was going to wring everything out of me that he could.

"Who, then?" I remained as calm as I could, given the circumstances.

"Might Guy, Asuma Sarutobi, and Kurenai Yuhi."

"Asuma Sarutobi, the son of my old mentor the third?" Orochimaru asked gleefully, an expression on his face I'd never seen before.

"The very same."

"He would be a most worthy test subject. It's ironic, wouldn't you say, Kabuto?" Orochimaru's voice was a sibilant hiss. "Unless dear Naruto wishes to exchange himself for his comrades?"

_Dammit!! He and Kabuto had been planning something like this from the start!_

"I will," I bowed my head, trembling.

"Such a loyal genin. Kabuto, be a dear and tell the leaf shinobi what Naruto has done for them." Orochimaru smiled triumphantly, bouncing Naoki's ring up and down in his palm once again.

Kabuto bowed then left.

_Bastards._

_---------------------------_

whew. I am so out of practice typing that this took me longer to type than it should have. I promise the next chap will be up by next Saturday at the least. I need to work on it a little more and tweak it a little but the story is going smoothly.

Til then CIAO!!


	10. Sasuke

Disclaimer: I don't own naruto. If I did, that complete moron sasuke would be dead.

Naruto and gaara both could feel nothing yet could tell the razor sharp scalpels were slicing thin lines into their flesh. It was a sensation neither enjoyed.

Naruto's wounds healed very quickly, forcing Orochimaru and Kabuto to work faster than they would normally. As a result, they were less than gentle while handling his body and nights in his cell were less than comfortable for the nine-tailed jinchuriki.

Gaara healed much more slowly but still at an advanced rate, allowing Kabuto and Orochimaru to study him more thoroughly.

Weeks passed in this fashion, then blurred into months which transformed into a year. A year of almost ceaseless examinations.

Tsunade clearly wanted naruto back in the village for she kept sending nin to rescue him. And during these rescue attempts they were always captured and naruto was forced to indebt himself to Orochimaru even further.

After the most recent attempt, which involved Kakashi, Naruto decided to send a message back.

"Tell Tsunade that I'm fine, Master Kakashi. Every time the rescue team gets caught, I have to promise more time to Orochimaru to free them. I don't know that he'll accept it anymore since I'm promised to him for the next 5 years." This last statement was said bitterly, and Kakashi knew Naruto was concerned for Sasuke.

"I'll tell her. But, Naruto-," Kakashi hesitated.

"What?"

"We'll be back in another 6 or 7 months for Sasuke and you, so either save him before then, or help us when we arrive." Kakashi clapped him on the shoulder in a reassuring sort of way and Naruto gave him a small smile. "See you then, okay?"

Naruto nodded and Kakashi shun shined away. He turned, sighing heavily as he heard footsteps behind him.

"Naruto, c'mon. There's something new we'd like to test." Kabuto beckoned from the hidden door.

It's going to be a long couple of months…

"Well. If it isn't the screw-up." Sasuke said coolly, sitting up from his position on the bed.

"Sasuke…"

"I wonder who the stronger of us is," sasuke mused, suddenly appearing beside Naruto in the doorway.

"So you still want power."

"Of course," said Sasuke in an irritated voice.

"Why? You had friends in Konoha, comrades, people who _cared_ about you." Naruto spoke quietly, as if afraid to scare his best friend away.

"I have to kill my brother, that's all that matters." The chilly tone in Sasuke's voice could have frozen the desert.

Naruto said nothing, perhaps hoping sasuke would continue.

"I don't think I like you in here. Get out."

"When Orochimaru takes your body, what do you suppose happens to your soul? Is it absorbed as well? Will you remember the reason you wanted power in the first place? I don't think so. Fight for the _better_ things in life, Sasuke." Naruto turned to leave as a shout rang out.

"Naruto! The lair is under attack!" Naoki was sprinting his hardest toward his friend, closely followed by leaf nin.

"Protect sasuke, I have to find Gaara!"

"I'm here, Naruto." Came Gaara's calm voice.

"Naruto!"

"Sakura?"

"I'm behind y-"

Naruto whirled around, filled with dread.

"Sorry, Sakura." Kabuto drawled, withdrawing his hand from the kunoichi's back. It was covered with pieces of what Naruto knew was Sakura's heart and lungs.

"Sakura!" Naruto yelled; shun shining over to his friend, knowing with just a look that she was already dead.

"She's dead already, Naruto." Kabuto told the jinchuriki. "We're going now. Orochimaru wishes to make the transmigration in two weeks."

"Ah, Kabuto. I see you found them. Excellent. Now, Sasuke, it is time to leave." Orochimaru's cold voice preceded him as he appeared by his apprentice and the jinchuriki.

Sasuke blinked, the sharingan activating itself momentarily to reveal not his normal three-tomoed sharingan but the mangekyou sharingan. "Fine."

Orochimaru appeared not to have noticed, nor Kabuto, but Naruto had seen it and knew why it had shown itself. He wished deeply that Sasuke had not seen the brutal killing of their old teammate.

Gaara made a motion with his hand and sand rushed up to block Kabuto and Orochimaru's way. Sasuke shot Gaara a death glare, but it wasn't nearly as threatening as it normally was. It was softer.

"We're taking Sasuke with us." Said Gaara firmly.

Orochimaru merely grinned, his fingers forming hand signs too quickly for any of the boys to see.

Waves of pain washed through both jinchuriki's bodies and Naoki's as well. The pain of being subjected to Orochimaru's twisted experiments didn't even begin to compare to this.

_Hell's fire has nothing on this. Nothing._

Then, as quickly as it had come, it subsided, leaving the three boys gaping like fish on the floor.

"What. Was. That?" Naruto gasped, unable to speak in whole sentences.

"An experimental jutsu Kabuto developed. Directly over the length of your spines we tattooed certain symbols. When either Kabuto or I form the series of hand signs that activate the curse, those tattoos will send pain signals through your spines and into your bodies." Orochimaru smiled his usual snakelike grin, the one that sent shudders down Naruto's spine.

"Bast…ard." Naoki choked.

Gaara's wall of sand had fallen and the loose grains of soil gave the floor a rough texture.

"How rude. And after all we've done for them." Orochimaru grabbed sasuke's arm and gently began tugging him away. "Kabuto, see to it that they are punished for their impertinence." He shun shined away with Sasuke as Kabuto turned to the three boys.

"Now, you've made both him and me cross." He stated. "Come along and it won't be as hard on you as it could be."

Naruto cast his eyes down the floor, acknowledging defeat, and noticed Gaara's sand had etched the words 'Two weeks. Northern lair.' into the floor and had moved Sakura's lifeless body near them. He blinked back tears at the sight of her broken body. In life, she had greatly resembled a porcelain doll. Now she was one that had been smashed in a fit of anger. A pale imitation of her original state.

"I'm sorry, Sakura." Naruto whispered as they headed north, following Kabuto closely. His tears blurred his normally clear vision and he brought the collar of his shirt up to wipe them away.

Days later, even the site of Karin greeting them at the northern lair's entrance failed to rouse any emotion. Not since Sakura's death had he felt anything. No pain. No anger. No loneliness.

Nothing.

_Is_ _this how Haku felt? No. surely not. If he had, he never would have died for Zabuza._

"Naruto?" it was Karin. "Sasuke is going into isolation with Orochimaru until the transmigration. Wanna say goodbye?"

"No."

The next time he saw Sasuke, it would not be his Sasuke, only a shell. A husk of his former self. Who _wants _that? He punched the nearest wall as hard as he could and felt it give way beneath his fist. Blood oozed lazily from his knuckles and he studied it as it slipped down his hand. The wound healed, courtesy of Kyuubi's chakra.

"Naruto, your room is this way."

Kabuto.

How dearly he would love to kill the medic nin as slowly as he could.

Kabuto led him even further into the lair: down several winding staircases, through several hidden panels in walls, then up a flight of stairs to a solid steel door which, as Naruto could see when he opened it, was nearly two feet thick.

Kabuto noticed his suspicious face and chuckled.

"In case you throw a temper tantrum." He explained.

That won't hold against me.

"Where are Gaara and Naoki?" Naruto ventured, curious as to whether he was being singled out.

"You've all three been spread out in the building and are to be confined until after the transmigration." Kabuto shoved Naruto so roughly he stumbled and fell onto the unforgiving stone floor of his room. Naruto sprang to his feet, ready for a fight, but the door had already been shut and locked.

_Well?_

_Well what?! _Naruto snapped sitting on the cot and pulling his knees up to his chin. He rested his arms and then his face on his knees, feeling utterly useless. He couldn't save Sakura, and now Sasuke was about to lose himself.

_Are you just gonna mope? Or do I get to be in control and rescue the traitor?_

_Shut up, fox. Leave him be. It's his fault Gaara, Naoki, and I are locked up and Sakura's dead._ Naruto felt a lump rise in his throat and willed it down, but tears had already begun to leak out.

"Sasuke, please quit pacing. It's tiresome and it's boring me."

The teen ignored the man who had promised him power and continued to pace the length of the room.

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine. Turn.

One, two, three, four, five- he walked into the sannin. The strange look on his face made sasuke backpedal quickly, fearful that he'd finally angered him.

"What?" he demanded, hiding his fear behind an irritated tone.

_**'I'm so in love with you that I can't even stand it! Sasuke! Stay with me and I'll never let you regret it! We'll have fun everyday and... And you'll be happy! I'll be sure of it! I'll do anything for you, sasuke! Just, please…Please don't go!'**_

__Sakura…

'_**When I'm with you…I wonder if it's like being with a brother.'**_

Naruto…

_**'If you want to kill me, settle for hating me. Hate me and live like the coward you are! Clinging to life without honor!**_

__Itachi-nii…

_Why?_

"-now."

"What?" the Uchiha had only caught the end of Orochimaru's sentence.

"Let's make the transmigration now!" Orochimaru lunged at sasuke, the snake in him beginning to show.

_Shit._

_**A/N:loooong chapter, but worth the wait( I hope). If this keeps up, I may be able to get the next chapter up soon. Reviews plz. If you have any suggestions I'll be glad to take them though I've already started on the next chapter.**_


	11. Change of Heart

_**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Naruto. If I did, Sasuke would be dead.**_

-----------------------------------------

Chapter 11: Change of Heart

_**'When Orochimaru takes your body, what do you suppose happens to your soul?'**_

___I don't know._

_**'Will you remember the reason you wanted power in the first place? I don't think so.'**_

___You're right._

_What guarantee do I have that he'll do what I wanted to?_

_None._

_**'Fight for the **_**better**_** things in life, Sasuke.'**_

___I will!_

_***_

_BOOM!_

Naruto was jerked back to wakefulness by a large explosion several floors beneath his feet.

"...The hell?" he muttered, staggering as he stood because the floor was shaking violently.

_Time to go. I'll break down that pitiful excuse for a door. _Kyuubi said.

Naruto smiled as his canines lengthened and the whisker marks on his face broadened.

_He's fighting it._

Naruto broke down the door with ease. Subtlety was no longer necessary. He poked his head out into the hallway then turned right, going down the stairs so quickly he nearly ran into the wall on the landing.

_Keep fighting, Sasuke._

_***_

Sasuke barely dodged his old mentor as he leapt at him.

_Time to use what I have gained. _Sasuke took a deep breath, adrenaline coursing through his veins. The mangekyou sharingan activated, startling the Sannin.

"Sasuke! When-" Orochimaru gasped, staring at his protege. A look of cunning slid onto his face within a moment.

"When I saw Kabuto shove his hand through the body of one of my friends." Sasuke replied coldly. He performed the handsigns that would activate the chidori and turn it into a literal blade of lightning.

"Well, well. This shall make it even more advantageous to have the mangekyou sharingan. Perhaps we should have killed Naruto in front of you." Orochimaru licked his lips, savoring the thought of possessing such a desirable body.

Sasuke used the chidori and pinned Orochimaru to the wall behind him then drew his katana. As he prepared to slice off the sannin's head, Orochimaru's mouth opened wide and a huge white serpent shot out.

Each scale on the snake appeared to be a smaller snake and it had spiky black hair. This was, without a doubt, Orochimaru's true form.

"So..." Sasuke said slowly, drawing the chidori from the husk that had been Orochimaru's body. "This is the result of your experiments. You turned yourself into a snake. You aren't even human anymore."

The snake grinned gleefully. "Your body is mine!!" he lunged at the teen, forcing him to dodge.

His scales -snakes- split from his body and went after Sasuke. Sasuke was still in midair, so he had very few options. He used his katana to slice the snakes into pieces, splattering himself with blood in the process.

He landed and placed his back against the wall, suddenly feeling sluggish.

_What's going on? I wasn't bitten was I?_

Orochimaru chuckled.

_What's so funny?_

"I see you're noticing the effects of the snakes' fluids."

_Ooohhh, when I cut them -the blood- _Sasuke realized.

"Their fluids can taint the air with their venom." Orochimaru sneered as Sasuke found it harder and harder to avoid the snakes coming from his body. Sasuke didn't dare cut apart any of the little beasts after hearing about what would happen.

_Shit. If I don't end this soon-_

The ceiling exploded above him and both Sasuke and Orochimaru were forced to avoid the large chunks of stone that rained down on them.

"Who-" Sasuke peered up into the hole.

_Naruto!_

"Hey, Sasuke, I see you changed your mind." Naruto was grinning cockily as red chakra encased his body.

"About time, dunce." Sasuke shot back. He could feel the venom spreading. His right arm and leg were already numb and felt as heavy as a block of lead.

Naruto poked his tongue out at him, then made a shadow clone. Sasuke saw that he was going to use the rasengan and decided to buy him some time.

He jumped at the sannin and aimed for his eyes, the chidori chirping wildly.

The huge tail batted him out of the air and he slammed against the wall. The heaviness in his body increased as blackness crept close and finally engulfed him.

-------------------------------------------------------------

_**A/N: I know, I know, it's a short chapter. **_

_**I really suck at fight scenes... Anyway, I want to do Naruto fighting Orochimaru in the next chapter which will be longer, I hope. Sorry for the long wait. I lost my flashdrive and only just got it back yesterday.**_

_**R&R so I know people still wanna know how it ends. If not, the wait may be longer.**_


	12. End

_**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN NARUTO. DUH.**_

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 12: End

Naruto drove the rasengan at Orochimaru and slammed it hard into his underbelly, sending him spinning into the wall behind him.

"You will regret that you ever considered harming Konoha." Naruto told the sannin, a second tail emerging from the red chakra.

"Come, little hero. Show me why!" Orochimaru had recovered from Naruto's attack and was coiling into a striking pose.

Naruto made three clones of himself and had two of them agitating the chakra in his palm while the third charged at Orochimaru. A ball of chakra formed then began to grow larger and turn a deep red-orange. It was soon the size of a beachball.

Hatred was etched into Naruto's normally happy face as he ran at the snake sannin, too fast for the naked eye because of his chakra enhanced body.

Orochimaru turned his head wildly, searching for the blonde teen, and, when he finally found him on his back, it was too late to cushion his body from the oversized rasengan. He was spun into the floor, creating a large crater. The scale-snakes' blood leaked out, and Naruto began to find himself swaying on his feet while Orochimaru recovered and raised himself above him, preparing to strike. It was all Kyuubi could do to take control of his host's body and jump aside to dodge the three rows of razor sharp teeth.

_Why am I slowing down? Something's wrong..._

_It's poison. I think it's those snakes' blood, seeping into the air, poisoning it, _and_ you._ Kyuubi was beginning to grow drowsy himself.

_Stay awake, fox! We're not dying like this! Not here! Not now that I've finally got Sasuke back._

_I can't... stop it when... there's this much..._ Kyuubi was having difficulty staying awake, and Naruto's lids felt as if they'd been weighted with lead.

"Bas... tard..." Naruto managed to choke out, forming the signs that would summon Gamabunta if he was lucky. With Kyuubi nearly unconcious, it was unlikely he'd be able to even summon Gamakichi.

He bit his thumb then slammed his palm into the floor, hoping and praying for some sort of miracle.

One one-thousand.

Two one-thousand.

Three one-thousand.

Four-

There was a puff of white smoke and a small red-orange frog appeared.

Gamakichi after all.

"Fuck..." Naruto moaned, falling to his hands and knees over the frog.

"Naruto? Is that you?" Gamakichi asked, as Naruto struggled to stand once more.

"Give up, Naruto, you've as good as lost." Orochimaru sneered, his expression bored.

"I never... back down and... I never run, snake." Naruto managed to say, the room and Orochimaru sliding in and out of focus.

"Is that so? It appears to me as though you've lost."

Unseen by Naruto until just then, Orochimaru's tail had been sneaking behind him and now coiled around him tightly, pinning Naruto's arms to his sides. The pressure from the tail increased, cracking several ribs and his arms, and making it impossible to breathe.

Just as his eyes began to slide closed, a massive explosion rocked the compound and a giant toad fell through the hole Naruto had made in the ceiling.

"Ah... Pervy Sage..." Naruto managed to smile weakly as the world turned pitch black.

-----------------------------

___Beep._

_Beep._

_Beep._

_Beep._

The steady high-pitched beeping of a heart monitor woke Sasuke, but he kept his eyes closed.

Around him, he could feel 3 different chakra signatures. One he recognized as Naruto's. The other two he only vaguely remembered. He couldn't place a name to either of them.

"He's been out for a week now." Naruto said softly. "Tsunade said he'd probably wake up soon."

"Shhhh! He'll wake up when his body is ready, so shut up!" Sasuke's eyelids fluttered then opened.

"You're one to talk, Ino. Look, your shrill voice woke him up."

"Shrill?? I'll show you shr-" Ino was cut off suddenly as if someone had clamped a hand over her mouth. Sasuke couldn't tell from his position on the bed.

_Ino? What the hell is going on?_

"BLEEGHHH!! That's disgusting!!!" Naruto yelled. There was a wooden _clunk_ as what Sasuke knew to be a chair hit the linoleum floor.

_She slobbered on his hand._ The corners of his mouth twitched in amusement, and he opened his eyes slowly, not wanting to blind himself.

"You guys are so loud." Shikamaru sighed. "Welcome back to Konoha."

Sasuke sat up slowly, not sure what the damage was to his body.

_I'm in Konoha hospital again._ He inspected the room and found it to be the same room he'd been in right before his fight with Naruto on the roof. To his left, Naruto was fervently wiping his hand on his pants while Ino watched him smugly.

Naruto glared at her briefly before a grin lit his face.

Ino's smug grin disappeared.

Naruto brought his other hand (the one Ino hadn't tainted with her saliva) up to his mouth and licked it. Ino's eyes widened and she stood.

"You wouldn't dare." she squeaked.

"Try me." Naruto tackled her then wiped his hand on her face, ignoring her death threats. His revenge complete, he scurried over to Sasuke and sat down next to the bed. Sasuke chuckled.

"How long have I been out?" he asked, laughter still in his voice.

"A week. Weren't you listening?"

"Sorry." Sasuke said softly. "Naruto, do you know what happened to-" the name stuck in his throat. He still couldn't say her name.

"She- couldn't be saved." Naruto stared at his hands. "Pervy Sage killed Orochimaru, though. He got there just as I passed out. He almost died, but Tsunade says he should be back to normal in no time. Sasuke, I'm sorry. I should have gotten there sooner."

Ino and Shikamaru stood quietly and left the room, sensing that the two should have some time alone.

"It doesn't matter now. You really saved my skin back there." the Uchiha told him. "If you hadn't gotten there when you did... I'd be Orochimaru's body right now."

"Gaara killed Kabuto. He and Naoki have already gone back to Sunagakure. They waited until I woke up though." Naruto smiled sadly. "I'm going to miss them."

"Naruto, I'm sorry. If I hadn't-"

"Don't talk like that." Naruto said sharply. "Sakura knew there was a risk in coming to save us. She was willing to die to get us back from the start."

"That doesn't mean it doesn't hurt."

Naruto was silent. After recovering from his bout with Orochimaru, he'd gone to the memorial stone. For about 5 hours he'd stood in front of the great black stone, staring at her engraved name. Kakashi and Tsunade had kept everyone away from him, knowing he'd need to be alone.

Finally, Naruto spoke.

"It hurts, yes, but that is what makes us human. Shinobi are supposed to be emotionless killers but _every single one of us _is human. We can't change what we are." his hands were shaking, but his voice was calm.

"You dobe. You got smarter while I was away. But you're right. I thought that by breaking my bonds, it was making me a better shinobi. I was wrong. Now look how it's turned out." Sasuke's voice was filled with regret. Naruto looked at his hands for a few moments then stood.

"C'mon."

"Where-" was all Sasuke had time to ask before Naruto pulled him out of bed and through the window.

"Here." Naruto said about 5 minutes later, pointing at the black stone.

Sasuke stared at the name engraved in the stone and gave a small smile.

"Thank you, Sakura." he whispered. "I'm sorry I didn't realize how stupid I was sooner."

The wind picked up and Sasuke swore he felt her hand on his shoulder. Felt her breath tickling his ear as she whispered, "It's okay."

"Naruto, did you-?"

"Yeah. I think she's happy now."

Sasuke traced the letters of her name on the stone tenderly. _If she's happy, I'm happy._

--------------------------------------------

**A/N: This is the end! Thanks for sticking with me so far! R&R and tell me if you'd like a sequel or something else of the sort.**


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